


The Lure

by Spoon888



Category: The Transformers (Cartoon Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Bathing/Washing, Blow Jobs, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Minor Injuries, Mud, Oral Sex, Semi-Public Sex, Sticky Sexual Interfacing, sand in unpleasant places
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:48:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27441460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spoon888/pseuds/Spoon888
Summary: "I have an idea," Starscream smiled brightly, his optics large and pretty and full of temptation. "Instead of taking me in like a boring old Autobot, why not have a little fun with me? You're obviously interested in flight frames, so why not ...educate yourself a little further?"
Relationships: Optimus Prime/Starscream
Comments: 26
Kudos: 218





	The Lure

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Roboapollo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roboapollo/gifts).



A week and a half of rain left the ground sodden and saturated. For a heavy truck like Optimus off-roading was probably inadvisable. But he had been running late, with the sun now dipping below the tree line to cast lengthening shadows, dying the sky pastel orange. He had an evening debrief to lead, and the narrow, winding roads that cut through farmland had seemed like a good idea at the time. 

He charged full throttle through deep lake-like puddles, blasting his frame with waves of filthy water. His weight meant tires sunk into the mud and churned it up, sending it splattering up the sides of his doors, caking his tire-treads and mud-flaps. 

By the time he rejoined a tarmac road he was almost unrecognisable in his own side-mirrors. His Autobot insignia hidden under an inch of dark mud and the once vibrant red of his armour now a muted brown. 

"Opps," he murmured, tilting the mirrors up and down to get a better look at himself, but finding no improvement. He could feel the irritating tickle of muddy water dripping down his grill. 

He couldn't return to the Ark in this condition. Not after Hound had come home just three days ago in a similar state, trailing mud and soggy leafs and clumps of grass all through the Ark's pristine halls. Prowl had brought the hammer of disapproval down on him with swift, harsh judgement, and had decided the most fitting punishment was to make him clean up his own mess with a tiny human mop. It had taken him all night. 

Rank or no, Optimus wasn't naive enough to expect he could avoid a similar punishment, should he do the same. 

There was a freshwater lake not far from the main road on the way back, and he could make a quick stop to drive in, wash off the worst of the mud, and still make it back to the Ark before the evening briefing was due to start. 

He dropped into a lower gear when he pulled off the road this time, and gently rolled his way down to the waters edge. The recent rains meant the water levels had risen a great deal, threatening to rise up and swallow an old wooden dock Optimus passed. 

As he perused the shoreline for the best spot to drive in and submerge himself, he became distracted by the mesmerising view. The sun was resting just above the lake's horizon, painting clouds in warm pinks and oranges. The water below it reflected it's golden glow, rippling like a streak of fire. 

A loud splash had him slamming on his breaks with a squeak of the rotors. 

Ahead of him the shoreline extended outwards in a narrow split, and covered in trees, it concealed part of the lake behind from view. Optimus continued forwards cautiously as he heard another splash, not wanting to frighten any humans that may have been frolicking in the water. 

The closer he drew the more it became apparent that whatever resided in the water was far too big to be a human. Optimus put himself on guard, transforming slowly into bipedal mode and crouching down. He used the remaining trees as cover, and peaked through the branches. 

Shadowed by the glow of the sun was a tall, slender figure. Clearly Cybertronian. They were stood in the shallows, the lake-water up to their knees. From their side profile Optimus could see they had braced a foot against a rock and were leaning over to clean their leg, dipping a washcloth into the water and ringing it out before working it into the gaps of their upper thigh plating. 

They dunked the cloth again, their torso turning sideways, and the shape of their silhouette changed dramatically when two upwards angled wings revealed themselves. 

A _seeker_. 

Optimus's knee slipped in the mud and he nearly stumbled forwards and crushed the trees beneath him in surprise. What he knew of the notoriously fussy fliers had led him to believe that they wouldn't be caught _dead_ bathing in an organic lake. He leaned closer to try and better understand what he was seeing. 

The seeker finished with their leg and took it down from the rock, and then proceeded to bend over at the waist to cup water in their hands. And bend _all_ the way over at that.

Optimus swallowed thickly at the pleasant shape their aft and thighs created together, his optics momentarily darting away so it didn't feel quite so much like he was leering at the Decepticon. 

He shouldn't be surprised. Everything a seeker did, they did it whilst employing a certain level of sensuality. Why should bathing be any different. 

The seeker straightened back up again, water sprinkling down all around them as they splashed themselves In the face with water and then swept their hands over their helm with the sigh. Their helm turned in Optimus's direction, and even in the fading evening light he recognised the calculative shape of those narrow optics.

Starscream. 

Now this was a problem. Starscream was a dangerous Decepticon, to be apprehended (or shot) on sight, and he was within frightening distance of vulnerable human settlements that were perfect for Decepticon exploitation. 

He was also currently taking a bath. And Optimus was also currently _spying_ on him taking a bath. 

The time to have jumped out and announced himself had long since passed, and was only growing less and less appropriate as Starscream continued with his sultry ministrations and began to wash his cockpit. The squeak of the damp washcloth against the golden glass was _obscene_. Optimus's cheeks heated. 

It was a much more diligent, and almost erotic process of washing than Optimus had initially intended for himself driving down to the lake. Seekers were known for taking meticulous care of their frames -something that had always added to their appeal- but Starscream ran the cloth over himself like his hands belonged to a worshipful lover, like he found pleasure in the sensation of cool water running down his cockpit and the insides of his thighs. 

Optimus couldn't tell if it was his mind that was only making it _seem_ like Starscream was moving in slow motion, or if the seeker was doing it himself. 

He would never put it past Starscream. 

Just when Optimus didn't think the situation could get any more inappropriate, Starscream wet his cloth again, arched his back, and rung it out over his wings. Water cascaded down his lovely back, dripped off the edge of his wings. He flicked them and water droplets went flying, twinkling in the light of the setting sun.

Optimus's engine revved in arousal. 

Loudly. 

Starscream's head snapped in his direction at the same time Optimus lost his balance and finally did uproot the trees he had been hiding behind with a deafening series of wood cracking and groaning. He landed on the muddy shoreline with a loud, undignified splat. 

Which was all completely overshadowed by the scandalised _shriek_ Starscream emitted at the sight of him, hands flying down to cover his wet frame. " _ **Prime?!**_ " 

Optimus was half blinded by mud and shame. He pushed himself upright. His hands skidded through the slippery earth and if it hadn't been for his face-mask he would have gotten a mouthful of mud as he fell again.

"I am -this is- Starscream, I-" he jumped from apologetic to stern to apologetic again in a panic, struggling to rise to his feet. Mud was everywhere. 

Starscream was still staring, optics the size and shape of spotlights. He was clutching his little wash cloth to the centre of his chest like could hide himself behind it. 

"I... Don't let me find you here again!" Optimus finally settled on a mild threat, pointing at him, finger flinging mud. 

Starscream's mouth fell open, but he was likely so horrified and humiliated by the ordeal he couldn't find words. 

Optimus did what any self-respecting leader would do. He fled, transforming in a hurry and plowing down another tree, tires spraying mud as he gunned it back towards the main road. 

* * *

  
Two hours and an unspeakable amount of time spent in the wash-racks later, Optimus's guilt induced mortification had still yet to wear off when Prowl greeted him with a mop and bucket in the corridor outside the bridge. Which incidentally, was criss-crossed with muddy tire tracks and clumps of half dried earth.

Optimus took the mop sullenly. Prowl shook his head in disappointment. 

"It's only a bit of a mud, Prowl," Optimus tried. 

It had been the wrong thing to say. Prowl swapped his mop for a toothbrush. And Optimus wondered why he let himself be bossed around by his own second in command. 

* * *

  
Another day, another bizarre Decepticon attack. This time something about giant bubbles trapping plant workers while the Decepticons pillaged their power. 

Bubbles didn't sound too menacing, as far as most Decepticons plots went, so the atmosphere among his Autobots was relatively light. They'd shoot a few Cons, come up with a couple witty quips, chase off the stragglers, and go home. Job done. 

Despite all that, Optimus found himself dragging his wheels somewhat. Starscream was clearly going to be present -barring some ridiculous task Megatron might have had for him that would send him elsewhere- and Optimus's armour was still crawling with feelings of shame over his handling of the unfortunate incident the other night. 

They weren't far off from the power station when the roar of jet engines reached his audials. He internally cringed.

But it was like a siren's call to Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, who revved their engines and shot off ahead of their convoy, tires squealing. Prowl whooped his sirens and sped off after them furiously, trying to stop them from ruining his pre-prepared tactics. 

Moments later the seekers themselves appeared. It was the Second Trine. The Coneheads. Optimus breathed a sigh of relief-

"Prime, lookout!" Ironhide drove into his side and sent his veering out of the path of incoming blaster fire. 

The Coneheads swooped down on them, guns blazing, before spinning sharply and taking to the air again. 

Of course, Optimus reprimanded himself. Just because he wasn't avoiding the Coneheads due to social embarrassment, did not mean he didn't have to watch out for them trying to kill him. 

He needed to try and put this right. Or his distraction over it was going to get him killed. 

What bothered him most was that, at the very least, he could have apologised. Starscream may now be under the impression that the righteous Autobot leader was a shameless stalker of seekers, someone who lurked in the bushes and watched them without their consent. A battleground was hardly the place to set things right, but Optimus didn't have much alternative. He couldn't exactly contact the Decepticon base and ask to speak privately with Megatron's second in command without raising a few optical ridges on _both_ sides. 

He might not even get the opportunity for an apology. Starscream might shoot him first. His _trine_ might shoot him, if Starscream had told them what had happened. He could become besieged by vengeful Decepticons from all directions the moment he stepped into view. He knew that if such a thing had happened to one of his own own Autobots he would have liked to have had a 'word' with the culprit. 

The power station came into view then.

One of the first things Optimus noticed was Sunstreaker flying legs-over-head through the air as a seeker tossed him. The second was the large bubble floating above the building. Hardhat wearing humans in high-visibility jackets were trapped inside it, banging their little fists against the interior. 

"Rather durable for a bubble, isn't it?" Optimus commented, transforming and standing up. 

Ironhide grunted and lifted his gun, one optic closing as he aimed. "I can get 'em out..." 

Optimus placed a hand over the blaster and lowered it with a shake of his head, "They won't survive a drop from that height."

"They're wearing hardhats," Ironhide protested. 

Optimus was spared from having to explain that hardhats, although useful in many ways, could not protect a human from a fall at terminal velocity, when a sudden barrage of blaster bolts came flying their way. The Stunticons were sprinting towards them, Motormaster leading. 

"Go," Ironhide started shooting back, forcing the Decepticons to take cover. "Deal with Mega-dunce, I got this..." 

Optimus would have liked to stay with Ironhide and explain that he'd much rather be out here getting shot at by the grunts than inside the power station, where the action would be fiercer and so would the Decepticons. Because if Starscream wasn't terrorising mechs in the air he'd be tormenting Megatron on the ground - and Megatron would be inside, supervising the logistics of the power they were stealing. 

The power station was on the coast, exposed to the elements, which didn't leave much cover for his Autobots. It was likely why Megatron felt he only needed one trine for air support. Fortunately Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were keeping the Coneheads occupied, and Optimus was able to enter the station's perimeter without issue, long legs leaping easily over the wire fencing. 

Inside the building he could hear barked orders coming from the turbine room, bangs and clanks as clumsy Decepticons hurried to obey. Starscream's sharp voice was audible among the racket as he spat a shrill string of insults, and as Optimus snuck around the corner, blaster drawn, the rage filled snarl he heard in answer made it clear that the recipient of those insults had been Megatron. 

Optimus winced in sympathy at the sharp groan of metal being twisted and the breathless yelp that followed. 

"-out of my sight!" Megatron bellowed. 

Optimus peaked around the corner to watch a frightened Starscream scurry out the other exit of the turbine room, his right wing bent drastically out of shape and marred with finger-shaped dents. It was a cruel punishment for backtalk. And it bothered Optimus more than he would have expected it to. 

Restraint stopped him from recklessly diving into the turbine room that very instant to take on Megatron and his Decepticons, twenty-to-one, and he was rewarded for his patience seconds later when the rest of his troops finally made it into the power station behind him. Much less subtly though. 

"Prime!" Bumblebee yelled when he saw him, alerting the Decepticons. 

Optimus ducked back when blasters started firing in all directions. 

Megatron ordered his Decepticons to attack, when he should have just told them to take what they could carry and run for it. The confined space made for a messy brawl, but Optimus found a great deal of satisfaction in shattering Megatron's right optics with a well placed punch. He put as much force behind it as he could, remembering the noise of pain Starscream had made when Megatron had hurt him. 

"I won't forget this, Prime!" half blinded by broken glass, Megatron shook his fist threateningly before disappearing after the rest of his fleeing soldiers, tripping over spilt and broken energon cubes as he went. 

"I'm sure you won't," Optimus muttered to himself, glancing at his dented knuckles. He plucked a piece of optical glass out of the joints. 

"That's all of them I think," Jazz appeared at his side, brushing off his hands. 

"No," Optimus murmured, glancing at the back exit Starscream had disappeared through with a sweeping sense of concern. "Not all." 

* * *

Insisting to Jazz that he could handle this one last injured Decepticon himself hadn't been difficult. They still had the plant workers to free from the unnaturally durable bubble after all, and very few of his Autobots wanted to be involved when Starscream's name was mentioned. He was ...difficult to deal with, so much so that even the satisfaction of seeing him brought low didn't make the stress of trying to take him prisoner worth it. 

Optimus kept his weapon drawn as he crept through the long hallway. 

"Starscream?" He called, his words bouncing off the walls back at him. The echo added a menacing undertone to his voice. He made sure to soften it before speaking again, "Starscream, come out now. I know you're down here." 

There was a rattle and slam as somewhere down the corridor a shutter had been opened. Optimus sped up and rounded the corner to find a small loading bay, it's doors thrown open to the outside. Through it he could hear the ocean; waves breaking against rocks and seagulls squawking overhead. 

"Starscream," he called tiredly, stepping outside and squinting under the bright sun. "There's nowhere to run. I saw what happened to your wing..." 

A humourless laugh sounded behind him, "I bet you did." 

Optimus whipped around. Crouched in the shadow of the building was a rather pathetic looking Starscream. Optimus trained his weapon on him. Starscream didn't flinch away. 

"Stand up." He ordered. "I'm taking you prisoner." 

Starscream didn't move. 

"Don't make this difficult," Optimus advised, closing the distance between them. "We can have that wing seen to by medics. Now stand up." 

"Can't you see I'm hurt, you big idiot?!" Starscream snapped impatiently. "Have a little compassion for the wounded, Prime." 

"Your _wing_ was damaged," Optimus flicked his weapon at the bent appendage. "But there's nothing wrong with your legs." 

"If you want to take me in, you'll have to carry me," Starscream stuck his nose in the air. 

Optimus glared at him, "...Or I could drag you?" He threatened. 

"You wouldn't dare," Starscream spat, clutching at the wall just in case he _did_ dare, "Not on this terrain. You'd get sand everywhere. Or is that what you want? It'd be the perfect excuse for me to take another bath, wouldn't it?" 

Embarrassment warmed Optimus's face. He should have known the seeker would bring that up. He cleared his vocaliser, knowing at least one of them had to act like a mature adult. "I don't believe I actually apologised for that-"

"No, you didn't, did you," Starscream leaned out of the shadows to smirk at him. "You just flopped around in the filth and stammered some vague threat. For how long had you been gawking at me anyway?" 

Optimus opened his mouth to reassure Starscream that it had been a split-second of hesitation, not announcing himself immediately, but realised that he had, in fact, been so mesmerised by Starscream's natural beauty in the lake that he wasn't sure how long he had been watching after all. 

"We'll have plenty of time to discuss this when you're in the Ark's brig-" Optimus reached out a hand to haul him up. 

But Starscream stood on his own, slapping his hand away and moving forward, stepping out of the shadows and seizing Optimus by the front of his armour. He tried to tug him in, but Optimus dug in his heels so stop them colliding.

"No," Starscream hissed, "I want to discuss it _now_." 

Optimus grabbed one of Starscream's slender wrists and pointed the blaster at his head, but it didn't dissuade the seeker. Starscream's grip was startlingly strong. 

"Your wing-" he tried reminding him he was injured, failing to prise the seeker off by force. It wouldn't feel right fighting a damaged mech. 

"Happens all the time," Starscream shrugged, not even looking at it. "Doesn't even hurt." 

Optimus arched a brow in disbelief, "Aren't wings sensitive?" 

"Only when I want them to be," Starscream narrowed his optics at him in suspicion. "But my, my, don't _you_ know your flight-frame anatomy?" 

Optimus made a noncommittal noise. His weapon strayed from Starscream's head when the seeker leaned up into his tiptoes to whisper by his audial, their cheeks brushing, "Know what else is sensitive?" 

His chest bumped Optimus's windshield. Optimus glanced down so see the blades inside his turbines turning slowly. He swallowed as his spark chamber seemed to tighten. 

"I can only guess..." He rumbled. 

"I have an idea," Starscream smiled brightly, his optics large and pretty and full of temptation. "Instead of taking me in like a boring old Autobot, why not have a little fun with me? You're obviously interested in flight-frames, so why not ...educate yourself a little further?" 

It was so far beyond the realm of appropriate conduct Optimus began to struggle against the tide of rising arousal. Warmth brewed in the depths of his tanks. 

"I couldn't," he eventually managed, sounding strained even to his own audials. "You wouldn't be able to consent, not while under duress." 

"Then put the blaster away," Starscream tilted his head to knock his helm against the barrel of the weapon. "And I _won't_ be." 

Optimus's thumb was flicking off the safety without the conscious command of his processor. He looked at his own hand in surprise, but Starscream was already reeling him in, walking backwards with a devilish sort of grin to tug Optimus into the shadow of the building, out of sight. 

Once hidden, Starscream immediately dropped to his knees in the sand and deft fingers began exploring the panels of Optimus's hips and groin with efficient determination, escalating things at a speed Optimus had never experienced before. 

He lost his grip on his weapon out of sheer surprise and it fell to the sand with a dull thump beside Starscream's thigh. The seeker didn't even glance at it, instead lifting his head to meet Optimus's gaze and flash him a smirk before leaning in to press open mouthed kisses over his codpiece. 

Optimus's engine turned over and he swayed, unbalanced, when Starscream's tongue slipped into the seam of his codpiece. Latches clicked and the paneling folded away. Optimus's warm spike housing was exposed to the chilly ocean breeze. Starscream licked over and then _into_ the centre slit, tickling the protometal inside. Optimus felt his spike array awaken with a sudden flare of heat and pressure that made him emit a stupid sounding, "Oh..." 

His spike extended and filled out. Starscream licked and mouthed at it with contented little noises that implied he was enjoying himself. Optimus placed his hand atop Starscream's head when the seeker took him into his mouth -silky soft and molten hot- bobbing his head back and forth to drag his lips over the ridged shaft. 

The stretch of Starscream's dark mouth was obscene when he sank down to the base of it, encasing Optimus in tight heat. He could feel no resistance as he slipped into Starscream's throat tubing. No one had ever taken the whole of his length like this before. But Starscream could. Starscream did. 

Starscream swallowed around him and let Optimus experiment with him a little, his optics hooded and dimmed with clear arousal when Optimus drew back and pushed _all the way_ back in. It felt so magnificent that Optimus had to pause to collect himself, lingering inside the seekers flexing throat for a moment.

But he knew Starscream needed to breathe so he drew back, rocking his hips to build friction as the seeker's tongue swirled and swept over his tip. 

Eventually Starscream pulled back and Optimus was released from his mouth with a wet pop and ragged gasp of breath, his stiff spike springing up and catching Starscream's on the end of his narrow nose. 

Starscream wiped his mouth and rose out of the sand elegantly, ignoring the gritty sand that must be irritating the joints of his knees to step back into Optimus's space. 

He leaned in, arms encircling Optimus's neck, ready to receive the kiss he knew Optimus wouldn't deny him. Optimus's mask folded back without a thought, and warm damp lips closed over his. He held Starscream's minuscule waist, stroking his hands up and down the shockingly drastic curves of his frame. Starscream tilted his head and deepened the kiss, and Optimus took stumbling steps to wherever Starscream chose to lead him. 

He was turned and led closer to the ocean, where the sand was damp and cool under his pedes. Starscream broke the kiss and laid back over the rocks, pulling Optimus over him. 

"Your armour," Optimus murmured, placing his hand on the rocks by Starscream's wing just as a wave crashed over them. "Aren't you worried about rust-"

Starscream hooked a leg over his hip to pull him in, grabbing his face between both hands to refocus his attention away from the water. "Only old mechs like you worry about rust," Starscream purred, kissing the corner of his mouth and sneaking a hand down between them. "So I'd hurry up if I were you. Can't have you falling apart on me." 

Optimus grunted when he was grabbed and squeezed. Starscream's fingers were so smooth and over-polished they felt like silk on his spike. He lifted himself up onto his hands and kissed the top panel of Starscream's cockpit, tilting his hips to help Starscream guide him to the seeker's valve.

A leg lifted and turned out, and Optimus's spike found Starscream's entrance without issue, choosing to nudge his way inside in gentle little increments. Starscream's teeth cut into his bottom lip as he muffled a moan. Optimus watched his dark cheeks bloom with colour when the textured silicone of Starscream's internals griped at and then released his spike. He looked down to watch himself slip home, the rim of Starscream's little valve taunt and straining around his girth. 

Starscream twisted and arched into ambitious shapes as they moved together, tossing back his head and kicking out his legs. The sound of his pants and moans were lost to the rush of water across the rocks. Chilly sea spray cooled Optimus's burning frame as he worked harder to keep drawing those noises out of Starscream, his climax closing in on him with every shudder and clench of Starscream around him. 

He rose up into his knees, ignoring the meek noise of protest Starscream made when he brushed the seeker's hands away so he could take in the stunning sight of the flier spread out beneath him. Starscream's entire frame jolted and twitched with each plunging stroke of his spike, back scrapping the rocks beneath him. 

Shying away from the attention Starscream turned his head to the side to hide his overwrought expression. Optimus let him, his vents beginning to huff as overloaded crept in at the erotic sight of an undone seeker writhing on his spike. 

It was hard to tell how many times Starscream had overloaded. The rock beneath him was already drenched, but among the sharp scent of the nearby ocean was the distinct aroma of musky lubricant. 

The node at the front of Starscream's valve was a swollen angry red, glowing starkly against the dark of his intimate mesh. Optimus pressed a thumb to it and circled it roughly. Starscream flung his head back, throat working, but no noise came from his overworked vocaliser. Optimus slowed his pace and hunched his back to turn his thrusts into short jabs, letting the rhythmic pulse of Starscream's hot, molten centre be what finally tipped him over into overload. 

He finished inside Starscream, riding it out, bucking slightly to follow the rewarding instinct to get himself as deep as he could. 

Another wave crashed over them and the cool water drew Optimus from his post-climatic daze. His arms ached from the strain of holding himself up, and beneath him Starscream lay panting and shuddering in the aftermath, gazing up at him through shuttered optics, lips parted, cheeks hot.

Optimus dipped his head for a lazy but affectionate nuzzle, their noses bumping before they kissed, once, lips lingering for a meaningful beat before drawing away. Optimus's spark hummed with a contentness he hadn't felt in centuries. 

"Are you alright?" He asked. 

Starscream looked more than just alright, but he felt it was only polite to check. 

The seeker's mouth curved into a smile. "I am now." He croaked. "But I have a feeling I may regret this when I find out just how much sand I have up my-"

"Yes, I can well imagine where sand might have gotten," Optimus cut him off quickly, steadily rising above him. He got to his pedes and stumbled slightly in surprise at the water around the pedes. The tide had come in. "Time got away from us, I see." 

Starscream sat up and winced, taking a moment to restore his modesty, before taking a look himself. "So it did." 

Optimus extended a hand to him to help him up. Starscream stared at it with unmistakable shock. 

Optimus slowly closed his empty fist, feeling suddenly foolish. "I-" 

"Salt water doesn't agree with the interior my thrusters," Starscream interrupted before he could apologise. He gave him a pointed look, lifting his arms. "You don't mind, do you? You are, after all, a hauler." 

Optimus sighed heavily, "Only to dry land." 

"Such a gentleman," Starscream purred, folding his arms around Optimus's neck when he bent to lift him. "This'll more than make up for you spying on me the other night." 

Optimus had been tempted to sling the seeker over his shoulder without ceremony, but recent events being what they were, he thought it more appropriate to lift Starscream bridal style, much to the incorrigible seeker's delight. "It's long overdue, but I apologise for my actions that night. It hadn't been my intention to frighten you-"

"You didn't _frighten_ me, Prime," Starscream stopped him. 

"You sounded frightened." Optimus remembered the audial piercing shriek. 

"Well how would _you_ have liked it if some mud-covered monster had leapt out of the trees at you while you were taking a bath?" 

"I probably would have shot it," Optimus answered honestly, bending to set Starscream back on his pedes. 

The seeker harrumphed, folding his arms crossly and looking away. "I didn't have a weapon on hand." He glared at Optimus sideways, "Not a mistake I'll make next time."

"Do you..." Optimus cleared his vocaliser, rubbing at the back of his neck as it grew hot. "You use that lake often?" 

Starscream stared at him, expression unreadable.

"...Every week," he answered carefully. "...In case you ever need to find me." 

Optimus looked down, "That wouldn't be a good idea." 

"I know," Starscream's sly smirk was back and twice as eager. He was looking back at Optimus as he began walking away. "But that's what makes it fun, isn't it?" 

Optimus's spark thunked in his chest at the sight of Starscream's winged silhouette striding off down the beach with the sun behind him. Even with the twisted wing, he made a striking sight.

And since lake wasn't far from the Ark, a few additional trips every now and then would hardly draw any attention. 


End file.
